An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) may enhance functionality of an unfinished platform, for example, by adding hardware, firmware, software, or some combination of these elements to realize desired platform functionality. A chipset may be assembled into the unfinished platform that is capable of controlling a platform feature which, when enabled, can facilitate the desired platform functionality. For example, an OEM may choose to enable a platform feature that provides platform resources to support an integrated communication, media, storage, display, or human-computer interface hardware element device. In another example, an OEM may choose to enable a platform feature that provides pre-activation of platform operating system or user application software.
An OEM may integrate into a platform a specialized application programming interface (API), third-party software, or a hardware or software plug-in, which may benefit from platform resources made available by enabling one or more platform features. Typically, as more platform features are enabled on an unfinished platform, the perceived value of finished platform increases, along with the unit price charged by an OEM. Frequently, platform features that provide or facilitate enhanced platform functionality result from significant R&D efforts by a manufacturer of a platform or a chipset.
Often, a manufacturer and an OEM enter into a licensing agreement, in which the OEM pays to the manufacturer a royalty or licensing fee in exchange for receiving a limited right to enable defined platform features on a number of platforms. The OEM typically bears the responsibility for tracking licensed implementations, and providing timely payment to the manufacturer, so that an OEM may host one or more license databases or provisioning servers in association with each production line. Such platform feature license provisioning and tracking servers can be expensive and may require dedicated personnel to maintain and update.
Moreover, the provisioning servers can be susceptible to attack, subversion, or manipulation, leading to unauthorized, unlicensed use of certain platform features, resulting in lost royalties to a manufacturer and, perhaps, in disruption of OEM production operations. In addition, a large OEM operation may experience loss and waste. Thus, an OEM may prefer to use a modular royalty schedule, based on features.
In an effort to keep finished platforms competitively priced, an OEM also may opt to pay platform feature licensing fee on a per-use or limited volume basis, rather than obtain a site license for each potential platform feature. However, in view of the vast array of potential platform features represented by per-use or limited volume licensing fees, an OEM may be required to obtain additional database or provisioning servers and, perhaps, to add an administrative layer to manage the more complex arrangement.
Understandably, an OEM may wish to avoid costs associated with such production support hardware, software, and personnel. In addition, an OEM may wish to limit or deter miscreants from purloining or misusing OEM licensing information from licensing database or security servers on the OEM production line.
Features, elements, and aspects of the present invention that are referenced by the same numerals in different figures represent the same, equivalent, or similar features, elements, or aspects, in accordance with one or more embodiments.